The clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1883-1888, 1887-11-16
The Pubic Schools.

College Green School and although visi-
tors were not expected-for such thing |
is rare event--we found everything In |
splendid working order Prof. II. ]. Fry, |
the energetic Superintendent, escorted us
through the several rooms, and introduced |
us to the teachers-of course they were all |
strangers to usl They seemed to be de- |
lighted to meet the Trustees, and we in
ferred that it was their first official visit |
this session. They will do better here
after.
In the first room visited, we found Miss
Mary Swami in charge. 1t is the Inter
mediate Department, or Second Reader
and Fourth Grade. Her total enrolment
ia Ga; present on Monday, IS. Average
attendance about 60, and very few noted
tardy thus far in the session. The Fourth
Reader Glass has AZ members. OF course
ga is too great a number to be in one room.
No teacher, however capable or faithful,
can do them justice. The present grad
ing system inaugurated by Prof. Fry goes
far to compensate for the lack of teaching
force. This il Miss Swann's second term.
she evidently takes great delight in her
work, but she has her hands more than
| full.
The next room visited was of the First
Principal, Miss Cornelia Lusk, who has
been for several years the p rincipal teacher
at College Green. Her enrolment is 80
present on Monday, %. This is known as
| the Sixth and Seventh Grade and ON the
black board we noticed the schedule for
ouch studies as reading, writing, arith-
melic, algebra, geography, philosophy,
physiology, etc. The class was reciting in
geography, and during the twenty minutes
that we remained we learned more about
Mexico than we eyer knew before. Miss
Lusk did not conine herself to the pre-
scribed questions, but asked many others
on general principles, to which her scholars
gave prompt and very satisfactory answers.
We then passed into the room of the I'd
Principal, Mrs. o. o. Wall. This lady, it
will be remembered, stood one of the best
Examinations on the questions propounded
by the State Superintendent for State
Certificates. She has been Principal of
the West Jackson school for several years,
and we were familiar with her proficiency
and popularity in that position. In the
reorganization and grading Of the schools
she was transferred to College Green.
Hers is the Fifth Grade. Her class was
exerciSipg on the black board in the con-
struction of sentences, Fluctuations, etc.
One of the scholars very readily impro we'd
the sentence, "a little man is speaking
with red whiskers," 80 as to read, "a little
man, with red whiskers, is speaking"
Total enrolment 35; present on Mon
day, 81.
In the next room visited we found Miss
Helen Nauman in charge. Hers is the
primary department, on the second floor.
1t is her first session at College Green, but
she appears to be "at home, in the school
room. Her enrolment is 65; present on
Monday, 56-fully enough for two teachers.
Average attendance about 60.
4 nc tOldl ouIOl4uCnL VI SOllcSc bItcn
school, for the session thus far, is 1874
present on Monday, 17G-which is great
| improvement on all former sessions of the
last twenty years. If the building was
larger and better arranged, two more
teachers could be employed with great
advantage.
On the walls We were pleased to see
maps charts and other helps to study-all
promptly provided by the city fathers on
the requisition of Prof. Fry.
From College Green we proceeded to
THE CoLoRED SCHOOL,
in West Jackson. The colored schools OF
the city were consolidated about ten years
ago, and have been occupying the Benevo-
lent Hall, which is admirably adapted to
the purpose. Prof. Isaiah Mitchell is the
principal. The principal of the colored
school has received ten dollars per mont h
more salary than any other teacher, since
the white schools have been without a
male principal. Mr.. Mitchell is an excel
lent teacher, and is undoubtedly one of the
OCot PIkASiPdAS thC cShOOAo Aoo CfCE maui
In the class that he was teaching as we
entered we found "a present, the total en-
rollment being %.
We next visited the Third Grade room,
Mrs. Emma V. Mayson, teacher. Total
enrolment 80 present, 26. The exercises
were in spelling, and the answers were
generally correct,
In the class taught by Mrs. L. NJ.
Wright we found 35 present out of a total
enrolment of 81.
In Miss Jennie Henderson's room we
found SO present, out of total enrolment
of 80.
In the last room visited We found MrF.
Williams still teaching the young idea
how to shoot. She has been connected
with the school for many years, and her
room has always been over-crowded. Her
enrolment is IS; present, IS. She should
have an assistant. 1t is simply impossible
for one teacher to attend to 80 many
scholars.
The total enrolment of the colored
school is 1876 present on Monday, 179.
We next visited the
WEST JACKSON WHITE SCHOOL,
of which Miss Ida Raines is the teacher
We found present 81 as bright boys and
girls as we ever saw. in a school-room.
The total enrolment is 40. They were
just about to disperse for recess, but they
gave us an exercise in reading, which was
very satisfactory. This school is located
in the hall of West Jackson Fire Com
pany. The accomplished teacher is very
popular with patrons and pupils.
Until the present session the colored
school has usually had a larger attend
ance than the two white schools. The
improvement in the latter is notice able
and very gratifying-the total enrolment
being 234; present on Monday, 2l0. The
total enrolment of the colored school is
1876; present on Monday, l79.
1t affords us genuine pleasure to note
these improvements in our public schools
and the increasing interest manifested in
their behalf. And nos let the good work
go on until the public schools of Jackson
shall be the model schools of Mississippi
The effect of the reduction of the pas
senger rates on the Natchez, Jackson &
Columbus railroad, from four to three
cents a mile,-made by the Railroad
Commission, to take effect May l, 1851
may be seen from the following state